Specific to the F-35, the quality of aircraft is light years beyond the Harrier for sure, there is not a single metric in which the Harrier wins out over the F-35. There are commonality of parts and what not, but it is definitely different than the other variants and very Marine-centric. Still, sad to see the Harrier phase out like the other aircraft I had mentioned in my post.
What's interesting is the Air Force is still unique among the variety of aircraft, the F-16, F-15 and the variants, the F-35. I know they are phasing out the A-10 and F-22, but they're still around. The F-16 is certainly showing its durability and legs with its staying power over 50 years. Also, relatively cheap and low maintenance compared to a lot of others. The Navy has a bunch of them for aggressor aircraft and proficiency aircraft.
I had an aunt and uncle with a house on a lake in a golf community to south of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, NC. They were about 5 mi maybe from the runway. You could hear the B-52 far before you could see it, when it was outbound and picking up speed it was an incredible sight. But when it was inbound over the lake and slowing down to land it was at a somewhat lesser altitude and I thought those things would just fall out of the sky. They are absolutely massive.
Now, on the north side of the base there is a highway, US 70. There's a very good / popular barbecue restaurant on 70 that is probably a mile and a half from the other end of the runway. So you get the same thing on that end as well.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>YOU IDIOTS! I WROTE 1984 AS A WARNING, NOT A HOW-TO MANUAL!--Orwell's ghost
Psalms 109:8, 43:1
LIFE MEMBER - NRA & SAF; FPC MEMBER Not employed or sponsored by any manufacturer, distributor or retailer.
The F 15 can't hold a candle to the B 52 for longevity, been in service since 1955. The First B 52 pilots great grandsons are flying them now .
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>YOU IDIOTS! I WROTE 1984 AS A WARNING, NOT A HOW-TO MANUAL!--Orwell's ghost
Psalms 109:8, 43:1
LIFE MEMBER - NRA & SAF; FPC MEMBER Not employed or sponsored by any manufacturer, distributor or retailer.
Nice video on the similarities/differences between the F-16 and F-18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKxJekBsC9k
Considering that F-18A/B/C/D are evolved from the Northrop YF-17 that lost the flyoff...
By Greg Goebel, Datumizer - http://www.airvectors.net, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...curid=80695899
Last edited by Diamondback; 05-21-24 at 11:56.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>YOU IDIOTS! I WROTE 1984 AS A WARNING, NOT A HOW-TO MANUAL!--Orwell's ghost
Psalms 109:8, 43:1
LIFE MEMBER - NRA & SAF; FPC MEMBER Not employed or sponsored by any manufacturer, distributor or retailer.
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